Dodge Viper ACR gets track chassis to match monster V10

You might expect the Dodge Viper ACR to go fast in a straight line, but this latest track-focused special prioritises grip, braking, aero and handling changes.

The sadly left-hand-drive-only Viper ACR gets a monster 8.4-litre V10 making 481kW and 813Nm – only slightly up on the previous top Viper, though that torque figure is claimed to be the highest of any naturally aspirated engine in sports car land.

Engineered to “withstand severe track duty in ambient temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius),” grunt is sent via a Tremec six-speed manual to the widest rear tyres of any production car in the world – 355mm-wide, 30-aspect 19s, versus 295mm/25 19s up front.

No mention of performance times – or, cough, what emissions those evil side pipes are spewing out – though the specially-designed Kumho Ecsta V720 tyres are said to produce lap times 1.5 seconds quicker than other production race tyres.

The aero pack also is said to deliver more than three times the downforce of a Viper TA (Time Attack) 2.0 package, with the 10-way adjustable coil-over Bilstein race suspension delivering more than double the stiffness.

The interior gets swathes of Alcantara trim and ACR badges as a reminder of the track model’s 16-year history, but sadly the Detroit factory still won’t put the steering wheel on the right hand side of any Viper. The Yanks will get theirs to compare with the also-LHD-only Corvette Z06 from the third quarter.